Work with what you have, not with what you think you have

Here’s a thought for you. Instead of just looking at how to improve your team’s weaknesses and fine tuning best practice on how they can overcome challenges, think about how to leverage their strengths.

Constantly looking for weaknesses within the business and within your team is a common mindset of many managers. Rightfully so, in order to achieve the business objectives there needs to be constant evaluation, improvement and streamlining. So, over time the default thinking pattern is continuously shifting to “Where are the weaknesses, shortfalls and gaps?” and “How can these be avoided and improved apon?” The danger of adopting this type of pessimistic mindset is that you start seeing your business and team as “glass half empty” .

Don’t get me wrong this mindset has its place, but it shouldn’t be the only way to analyse your business and team. Take the blinkers off and stop thinking of just the weaknesses. Start identifying the strengths you already have within your business and amongst your team.

This is an interesting exercise to complete. Without wearing the critic’s hat, are you able to identify your businesses and your team’s strengths?

Once you’ve completed this exercise. Ask yourself these questions:

Are your team members aware of their own strengths? Are they able to quickly identify what characteristics or abilities makes them an asset within the business?

Besides their own strengths are they aware of each others strengths or is their a continuous focus on the weaknesses?

With the business and team strengths in mind, the next step is to figure out how to develop and grow them. This is a great coaching conversation.

Work with what you have, your strengths. Don’t just work with what you think you have, your weaknesses.

Nicole is a certified professional coach as well as a certified trainer, advanced assessor and coach mentor. Based in Auckland, she provides a range of coaching options, from individual business owner and management coaching, group and team coaching workshops to personal coaching. Her coaching practice is aligned to the ICF ethos and ethics. Need to hire a professional coach? Contact Nicole nicole@tikumu.co.nz